Sports and gambling bode well together. After all., sports betting is massive in today’s society. Of course, athletes are forbidden from betting, especially with bets tied to their respective sport. But, good old-fashioned gambling is not off the table. That’s why you won’t be surprised to hear that many athletes are big fans of gambling. It makes a lot of sense. They’re rich, they have enough free time, and we’re talking about one of the world’s most entertaining pastimes. It is easy to become passionate about gambling no matter what you do in life.
When you look at matters from that perspective it is not hard to recognize that many F1 drivers have fallen in love with gambling. Yes, the fastest caravan on the planet has many current and former drivers enchanted with good old gambling. The fact is, nothing else can affect your body and mind as playing blackjack or similar games at a casino. Not even the adrenaline rush that F1 drivers experience in their cars while racing. Gambling is a strange activity and that’s why we love it so much. Good men from Ferrari and Mercedes are no different. So, let’s see who are the six famous F1 drivers who have a passion for gambling.
1. Max Verstappen
The current F1 champion is a great fan of gambling. Considering the busy schedule on which the F1 operates it is no wonder that Max and many other drivers are fans of online gambling. This is great news to hear considering the success and fame he attained on the race track. He’s been a driver on the highest level since 2015 and managed to accumulate many titles on the way.
We don’t have proof but we’re sure that he has success while gambling too. After all, we are talking about one of the premium gamers regarding the FIFA football game, as Max was a top player back when he was 21 years old. Considering that he drives under a Dutch flag we’re not going to be surprised to hear he often visits some of the best Nederlandse online casino’s during his free time.
2. Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton is one of the best drivers the world has ever seen. He has everything. Lewis is practically Royalty in the UK. He’s been dating famous people such as Nicole Scherzinger and is currently tied to Camila Kendra. His biggest passion in the world is racing of course, but he’s not shy from gambling either. Hamilton is known for his love of sports betting. His favorite sports are football and basketball.
He’s also not shy from trying his hand at boxing – gambling, not fighting. But, his hobbies do not stop there. The Mercedes driver also loves to play some poker, and it is not rare to see him at a casino playing blackjack. That’s right folks, he’s just like us. If you’re ever in Las Vegas or Monte Carlo don’t be surprised if you see him playing at the table next to you.
3. Giancarlo Fisichella
Now, this is a name we haven’t heard in a long time. But, back in the day, Giancarlo was the man. Yes, he maybe wasn’t the premium driver such as Verstappen or Hamilton, but he had a nice track record. His career saw him drive for such teams as Minardi, Jordan, and Ferrari with some of his biggest success coming in the Renault colors.
In addition to being a good driver, he’s also an avid poker fan. Not only that, he plays with a passion to this day and is a member of a poker team that plays in tournaments all across Europe. He is a well-known face at poker events and is seen as an excellent player. Due to his ties to F1, he is the face of many poker companies and tournaments all over the world.
4. Juan Pablo Montoya
The Colombian driver managed to leave his mark on the world’s biggest racing company. The younger generation might not remember Montoya due to his early debut in 1997. But, his name is tied to the game and no one could ever change this. Montoya. With stints with Williams and McLaren, he managed to go toe to toe with one great Michael Schumacher. In addition to driving his biggest passion is of course gambling. Due to different regulations back in the day, he wagered not only on horse racing but also on Formula 1. Some people even claim that he wagered more than half a million dollars during his career, but this is not official data.
5. Kimi Raikkonen
Kimi is a well-known name in the world of racing. He was a world champion back in 2007 after joining the F1 in 2001. He had a lengthy career and is one of the names that will be remembered in sports for eternity. Finland has a great history of racing and this will not change any time soon. Like many drivers on this list, Kimi is also passionate about one other thing -poker.
He’s often seen at celebrity poker tournaments and he’s not shy of showing his love for the game. After all, you need to find something to continue pumping that adrenaline in the blood. Raikkonen is quite a private person so we can only assume that he visits online casinos from time to time, but knowing his love for poker we’re sure he does.
6. Fernando Alonso
Alonso is one of the premium drivers in F1 and one of the best that the company has ever seen. He left his mark on racing, and the history he made will never be erased. In addition to driving, he also excels at playing poker. He’s not even shy about doing it. Fernando loves to share his games on social media platforms. When he makes a big win he’s one to share it on Twitter and similar platforms. But, he’s not a selfish person.
He often plays at celebrity poker tournaments where all proceedings go to charity. Just like the rest of us gamblers, he’s a good guy. In the same way, he knew how to read his opponents on the track and to read the track itself he’s good at reading his opponents at a poker table.
